


now everything reminds me of you

by astorywithnoend



Series: homosexual the musical the series (oneshots) [6]
Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: M/M, angst with happy ending, homophobia mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:54:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24181672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astorywithnoend/pseuds/astorywithnoend
Summary: based on the song gross by olivia rodrigo: ej has memories of his summer fling with ricky as ricky is downstairs dancing with every girl at his back to school party
Relationships: Ricky Bowen/E.J. Caswell
Series: homosexual the musical the series (oneshots) [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1622812
Comments: 2
Kudos: 39





	now everything reminds me of you

EJ Caswell’s back to school party was where everyone wanted to be if they wanted to be seen. It was where popular kids became popular and where summer flings became homecoming royalty. Except when it came to EJ himself. He stood by the drinks and looked out at the sea of teens dancing, not being able to look away from a certain brown eyed boy with messy hair surrounded by girls. He couldn’t tell anyone, but he wanted to be one of those girls so desperately. 

A blonde girl separated herself from Ricky’s dance circle and hung herself over EJ. “Saw you staring,” EJ gulped nervously. “Wanna take that staring upstairs?” she finished saying drunkenly. He looked up and finally made eye contact with Ricky as the boy took a girl in his arms and kissed her. EJ grabbed the hand of the blonde girl and they went upstairs.

As soon as he was in his bedroom, the blonde closed the door and lips started attacking his. She pulled his lips down to her neck and EJ tried to caress her body. He moved to kiss her again but first made eye contact with a paper plate on the wall. He separated from the girl. “Get out please.”   
  


“What do you mean? We were having fun!”

“You were, now leave, please.” He said, slightly choking up. She nodded and left his room. EJ walked over to his wall and saw the paper plate that read “Best Theatre Bromance: EJ Caswell and Ricky Bowen”

_ “Who knew we’d go from enemies to best bromance, Caswell?” Ricky said, jokingly punching EJ in the arm in front of all of their theatre friends. _

_ “Yeah, well we make a good team, Bowen.” EJ and Ricky went back to the cafeteria table to sit next to each other as the rest of Miss Jenn’s awards were being handed out. _

EJ ran his fingers over his playbill collection,  _ The Music Man _ ,  _ High School Musical _ ,  _ Beauty and the Beast _ , and then his fingers landed on Nini’s summer production of  _ Cinderella _ .

_ They waved goodbye to Nini as they headed to EJ’s car. “Can I be honest, EJ?” Ricky smiled at him, “That was god awful.” _

_ EJ laughed. “Yeah this camp isn’t for the most talented of Utah.” _

_ Ricky turned to EJ. “But didn’t you used to go here? You’re one of the most talented people I know.” _

_ EJ blushed, “Thanks, Ricky, but that’s a lot coming from future Ed Sheeran over here.” _

_ “Oh fuck off, Ed Sheeran is overrated; all of his songs sound the same.” _

_ “Well, Ricky Bowen is not overrated.” They started at each other for a moment. EJ saw Ricky look down at his lips. EJ held Ricky’s face and kissed him. Ricky put his arms around EJ’s neck to try to deepen the kiss. Eventually they parted and EJ just said, “Wow.” and Ricky laughed and pulled him in to kiss him again. _

EJ looked right above his bed. There were framed pictures from the adventures he would go on with Ricky. First, a picture of Ricky with ice cream on his nose from the day EJ officially asked him to be his boyfriend. The next picture was Ricky kissing EJ on the hood of EJ’s car while they looked at the sunset. They loved to drive up to this one spot on this huge hill and watch the sunset. They would talk about life, EJ would complain about traffic, Ricky would tell jokes that EJ despised.

EJ saw on his bedside table a notebook he should have hid before the party. He looked in it and saw when he had written down every combination of their last names. Yes, he was only in high school, but he wanted to marry this boy. He decided that he liked “Elijah James Bowen” the best. The next page had a calendar of this month where today was circled in rainbow highlighter.

_ “You sure you’re ready to do this?” Ricky asked, hands intertwining with EJ’s. _

_ “I really should have done this a long time ago and the back to school party is the perfect time.” EJ put his hands on Ricky’s face, “I love you Ricky Bowen and I want everyone at school to know that you’re my amazing boyfriend.” EJ pecked Ricky’s lips. _

_ “You remember this involves you coming out right? Do your parents know yet?” _

_ “No, I’m gonna do that this week so we’re ready by the time of the party.” EJ kissed Ricky again. _

EJ stopped that memory before he got too distracted. But the next memory he found was one of the worst: a napkin he had drawn on a tiny rainbow with the words “I’m gay.”

_ “These restaurants have the worst service. Probably due to the flamboyant ditz over there.” EJ turned over his shoulder to see the man his father was talking about. He noticed a rainbow pin tacked onto his nametag. “Oh, Elijah, you wanted to tell us something, what was it?” _

_ EJ held onto the napkin he had drawn onto, “It was nothing, father. Just excited for my classes this school year.”  _

_ EJ’s dad agreed and kept talking to EJ’s mother as EJ looked at his phone and saw a text from Ricky, “Congrats on coming out to your parents! I love you, babe.” _

Without an object to remind him he recalled a memory from that night.

_ “What do you mean you’re not ready?” Ricky sneered. _

_ “I didn’t come out to my parents yet, they’re homophobic and you know the water polo boys wouldn’t be so happy either.” _

_ “I thought you said you didn’t care. You said you could live with Ashlyn. You didn’t need water polo, you prefer theatre anyway and no one in theatre would hate you for being gay.” _

_ “I know Ricky, I’m sorry.” _

_ “Yeah you are. I’m gonna go get something to drink before everyone else gets here.” _

Now EJ was back downstairs. Ricky was still dancing with those same girls and couldn’t notice the tear stains on EJ’s cheeks. EJ finally looked away and saw Nini across the room doing the thing he was doing. They both had the same heartbroken look on their faces.

The party ended and school year started as normal. EJ and Ricky didn’t talk, they just made longing eye contact. Soon, homecoming week had arrived and everyone was getting ready to ask their crushes to the dance. EJ put his poster in his backpack.

EJ walked to class and heard a piano playing in the cafeteria. He made his way amongst the crowd to see Nini singing to Ricky:

_ Now everything reminds me of you _

_ Your pictures framed all over my room _

_ And if I hate someone you'll hate them too _

_ As long as I'm your darling angel _

_ I don't need anything in the world _

_ 'Cause I feel like the luckiest every second that I'm your girl _

_ I wanna do everything with you _

_ Take the highs, I'll take the lows _

_ I'll keep you close _

_ Give you the most, oh baby _

_ I like you so much it's kinda gross _

_ Yeah, I like you so much it's kinda gross _

EJ stood there, stunned. He saw Ricky look over to him before hugging Nini and saying, “I’d love to go to homecoming with you.” EJ ran. He couldn’t hear Ricky actually say yes. EJ just needed to leave. He fucked everything up.

EJ found himself crying in the bathroom, hoping none of the water polo guys would walk in. He heard footsteps enter the bathroom and quickly stopped crying as he heard a familiar voice say, “EJ?” EJ opened the stall door to see Ricky, also with some tears on his face. “I’m sorry you had to see that and you ran away before I told her no.”

“Wait, you said no?” EJ was shocked.

“Yeah, I was kind of hoping one of the hottest boys at East High would ask me.” Ricky bit his lip. 

EJ grabbed his hand and they ran out to the cafeteria. The crowd was still there from when Nini asked Ricky. EJ stood by the piano still set out and unrolled his poster. The poster was covered in pictures of him and Ricky and had written on it: “I’m gay and I’m really gay for you, Ricky. Homecoming?”

“Surprise East High: I’m gay!” EJ yelled so the entire school could hear. “And I love my boyfriend Ricky Bowen and I want to take him to homecoming.”

Ricky ran up to EJ, put his poster on the ground and kissed him in front of the whole school. “Of course I’ll go to homecoming with you, baby.” They kissed again as the room burst with applause. EJ parted and rested his forehead on Ricky’s as they whispered “I love you” to each other.


End file.
